411 on Black Sooty Mold
If you notice your trees or plants look like they threw themselves a bonfire, chances are they have been infested with black sooty mold.
Black sooty mold is a fungus that grows in the honeydew or secretion of scale, aphids, or whitefly. These types of pests cover the leaves of your trees & plants in honeydew, and the sooty mold spore lands on the honeydew and begin to reproduce.
Here are some examples of black sooty mold:
Black sooty mold will not kill your tree. However, it can weaken your trees or plants, leaving them more vulnerable to other diseases that may be more harmful.
Black Sooty Mold Treatment
The first step of black sooty mold treatment is to identify the insect causing the problem. Here are the three most common pests to look out for:
Scale
Aphids
Whitefly
Next, you will need to treat the insect problem. This might involve treating your trees & plants with insecticides to eliminate sap-sucking insects, pruning overgrown vegetation, or improving drainage to reduce moisture buildup.
Again, black sooty mold doesn’t harm your plants, but it does give them an unappealing look. Also, once the black sooty mold is established, it is not easy to remove. The best way to remove the mold is to spray the affected trees & shrubs with a water and detergent mixture. Use 1 tablespoon of household liquid detergent per gallon of water and spray it on the plants. Wait 15 minutes, then wash the detergent solution off with a strong stream of water. You may have to repeat this treatment several times over a few weeks.
If you properly treat the insect problem, you should no longer see black sooty mold growth. However, if black sooty mold comes back, there is still an insect problem because the mold does not spread without honeydew to grow on, so the new sooty mold indicates a continuing insect problem.
If you are still struggling with black sooty mold after trying to resolve the issue on your own, we welcome you to contact our lawn care experts. We can partner with you to create a custom black sooty mold treatment plan that will help you love your lawn again!